Protoporphyrin IX and verteporfin potently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro and in a mouse model expressing human ACE2.
Sci Bull (Beijing)
; 66(9): 925-936, 2021 May 15.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1386590
ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV-2 infection is spreading rapidly worldwide. Efficacious antiviral therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 is urgently needed. Here, we discovered that protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and verteporfin, two Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, completely inhibited the cytopathic effect produced by SARS-CoV-2 infection at 1.25 µmol/L and 0.31 µmol/L, respectively, and their EC50 values of reduction of viral RNA were at nanomolar concentrations. The selectivity indices of PpIX and verteporfin were 952.74 and 368.93, respectively, suggesting a broad margin of safety. Importantly, PpIX and verteporfin prevented SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice adenovirally transduced with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The compounds, sharing a porphyrin ring structure, were shown to bind viral receptor ACE2 and interfere with the interaction between ACE2 and the receptor-binding domain of viral S protein. Our study suggests that PpIX and verteporfin are potent antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 infection and sheds new light on developing novel chemoprophylaxis and chemotherapy against SARS-CoV-2.
Full text:
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International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
English
Journal:
Sci Bull (Beijing)
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.SCIB.2020.12.005
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